


Lab Safety Purrcautions

by Raindropsonwhiskers



Series: DeCat AU [2]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Cats, Family Fluff, Gen, Science, sneaky plots to ensure cuddling, time lords are eldritch cats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:47:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28091886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raindropsonwhiskers/pseuds/Raindropsonwhiskers
Summary: Susan is determined to get into Ushas' lab. Ushas is less reluctant to let her in than she pretends to be.
Series: DeCat AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1967464
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Lab Safety Purrcautions

**Author's Note:**

> I am back with more Cat Deca Plotless Fluff, now featuring Susan as a preteen! This was definitely inspired by this art - https://bizarrekairaart.tumblr.com/post/637493853407019008/ive-only-had-millennia-and-the-decat-au-by

Arkytiorallivenerre - though she's usually only called that when she's in trouble, and goes by Susan far more often - is ten Earth years old the first time that she's allowed in Ushas' lab. Ever since she was big enough to toddle around the TARDIS without help, the lab had fascinated her. It was firmly off-limits, and as one of the only places in the ship under that category, it was a forbidden fruit she was desperate to reach.

She understood why it was off-limits, of course; Ushas conducted all sorts of delicate and potentially hazardous experiments in there, and she didn't want Susan either messing them up or getting hurt. All perfectly reasonable. Knowing that did absolutely nothing to sate her curiosity, however, and over the years she had made several spirited attempts to get in.

The first few were when she was still a baby, barely old enough to walk, and had mostly consisted of sitting outside the door and mewling pitifully, which usually worked for getting in to any other room where she couldn't reach the door handle. In that case, it got her plucked off the floor, typically by Koschei or Millennia, and distracted with something else until she temporarily forgot about her quest.

Once she was a bit older, Susan's plans got more sophisticated. Trying to steal the key, bribing her other parents into letting her in, and even trying to hack the TARDIS to make the door open. None of them had worked, of course, but her parents never actually told her to stop trying. After all, she'd learned quite a lot in each of her attempts.

She had a backup plan as well, studying even harder in her scientific classes; if she couldn't get in through stealth, then earning her way in might have to do. Chemistry had always interested her, and Theta was so passionate about physics that she couldn't help but like it. So, simultaneous to her more cunning plots, Susan learned more traditionally.

In the end, it was the latter plan that worked, though it took much longer. After weeks working to bioengineer a phosphorescent cuttlefish, proving that she was responsible enough to be trusted with precarious experiments, Ushas finally caved and said Susan could watch while she worked.

Now, practically buzzing with excitement, Susan stands outside of the door, waiting to be allowed in. Somewhere along the way, her tail had flickered into reality despite her humanoid form, and it lashes back and forth behind her as she tries to be patient. Usually, she's better about keeping that under control, but she can't help it - the anticipation is getting to her.

She only hopes that the lab lives up to her expectations. Years of curiosity and imagination have made it a fantastical place in her mind, full of wondrous experiments and the mysterious things Ushas gets up to that she doesn't talk about.

When the door finally does swing open, Susan's inside before it's even fully open, irrationally worried that it might close on her before she gets in. Once she's safely inside, she takes her first proper look at Ushas' lab, and gasps.

Technically, it's not all that different from the chemistry lab in the TARDIS, which Susan has been allowed in for  _ ages. _ Tables line one wall, some with computers and microscopes and other equipment sitting on them, while the rest are empty and waiting to be used. Climate-controlled chemical storage cupboards and neatly organized glassware take up most of the wall opposite the tables. A pair of sturdy double doors in the back of the room lead to what can only be containment for the various test subjects - those are certainly different from the chemistry lab. But what really makes it special, at least to Susan, is the fact that it's Ushas'.

Out of all her parents, Ushas is the most reserved. She's more than happy to teach Susan about her fields of expertise, and Susan has never once doubted that she cares; she's simply a private person, tending to spend most of her time in her lab unless she needs to be somewhere else. Being in her lab feels like finally being allowed to see something special, something  _ new. _ Even knowing that she'll only be grabbing equipment - if she's lucky - Susan is honored.

"Make sure to close the door, Susan," Ushas calls, from where she stands bent over a microscope. "We'll be working with Mondasian rats later, and I don't want them getting out."

Obediently, Susan closes the door behind her. Then, still somewhat reverent, she crosses the room to Ushas, taking in everything she can at once.

"What will we be doing with the rats?" she asks, sitting in one of the high stools at the table and propping her chin in her hands.

"That depends on whether this enzyme works the way I want it to. Blasted thing isn't encouraging the reaction nearly fast enough," Ushas mutters. There's a telepathic sting of frustration in the air, like an instrument strung too tightly.

Susan frowns. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not at the moment, I'm afraid. You may look around, but try not to touch anything."

And, for a while, she does. But eventually, after inspecting everything thoroughly, Susan starts to get a little bit bored. Ushas is still hunched over the microscope, grumbling under her breath at the uncooperative enzymes, annoyance so strong it's nearly warping the air around her. In the back of Susan's mind, a plan starts to form.

As nonchalantly as she can, Susan shifts fully. Then she jumps up onto one of the stools, and from there onto the tabletop. She trots over to Ushas, lays down next to the microscope so that she's looking straight at her parent - though far enough away to not get any fur near it - and begins purring.

It takes a moment for Ushas to look up, and when she does, she raises her eyebrows. Doing her best to look innocent, Susan continues purring.

"You're not very subtle, Susan."

Despite her words, there's a tone of fondness to them. A second later, Ushas leans back from the microscope and stretches, then turns off the forcefield gloves she's wearing. Susan tries not to look too pleased with herself when she's picked up not long after.

With two steady hands holding around her middle, Ushas places Susan on her shoulder. After a little bit of wriggling and rearranging, Susan settles, facing forward on Ushas' shoulder and kneading lightly at the fabric of her lab coat.

When she goes back to looking at the enzymes, there's significantly less frustration radiating from Ushas' mind. Susan decides to count this plan, at least, as a success; getting into the lab may have taken longer than she would have liked, but it was definitely worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed, leave a kudos and/or a comment!


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